More Than One Way
by kawaiisama
Summary: SG-1 must Discover the secret of a world where Jolinar's memories are their only clue, but with the NID joining them, they must work fast to out think the fox, will they be able to withstand torture and temptation and come back together as the team they n
1. Default Chapter

Title: More Than One Way  
Author: Kdbenner  
Email: kdbenner@yahoo.com  
Category: S/J, Romance, angst, UST.  
Spoilers: Entire Series  
Season/sequel: Season six.  
Rating: PG-13  
Content warning: Slight sexual references.  
Status:   
Archive: Sam and Jack archive.  
Summary: SG-1 must Discover the secret of a world where Jolinar's memories are their only clue, but with the NID joining them, they must work fast to out think the fox, will they be able to withstand torture and temptation and come back together as the team they need to be.  
Disclaimer: I don't own them, I get no money from  
this.  
Author's notes: This is my first fan fiction so I really wasn't sure of the posting process and ended up with the Majority of this Not being beta checked. Although part 6 was checked by Kate Warwick , Thank you Kate. This had been a hard fic to write mostly because the Idea was WAY too big to fit in my mind and it changed as it was writing itself. I just kind of had to follow along and type for it.  
  
  
  
  
  
The day started off as normally as any other. The sun rose above the eastern mountains and spilled in through my bedroom window letting me know that it was time to get up and fight Colorado Springs traffic on my way to the SGC. I cleaned up the remnants from the weekend; the pizza boxes and beer bottles littered the living room. It had been good party. Even General Hammond relaxed a little and it was my chance to make sure I was back to my old wiseass self. Carter has been on the verge of acting like a mother Hen, almost constantly glancing at me and giving me those " are you sure you're O.K." looks.   
To tell the truth I was still having nightmares from those days spent with Baal. About being trapped in a never ending cycle of torture and that damn sarcophagus. But it's not like I'm suffering from PTSD or anything like that. I've been fine on our latest missions. But I am glad that she is concerned. Heck I'm just glad that she is all right after our little escapade with the x-303 and saving Thor's butt again. I had been a little nervous when we had to take the death glider to catch up to them. Afraid that maybe she hadn't gotten out of there. But then again it was Carter, she always finds a way out. Of course she would have been fine. Of course…   
My pager going off brought me out of my reverie. It was the base, no explanations just hurry and get there. And it had to have been Monroe who called. I don't know what it is with that guy, he just bugs the crap out of me. Ever since last Halloween in that stupid Wookie costume, Poor Teal'c" I grabbed a quick shower and headed toward the base. I made it to the base just in time to catch Carter's summary at the end of the briefing.  
  
"So it seems that the large concentration of Naquada on this planet may be there for the taking. There are no signs of Goa'ould or any other civilization. "   
"And on top of that, " Jonas interrupted. " the data collected from the soil samples closely resembles some of the early testing we did in the area where we found Naquadria. "   
"The only strange thing is that there seems to also be traces of Trinium in the soil." Carter stated this with a perplexed look on her face"  
General Hammond was quick to pick up on this before the visitors could use the opportunity to gain an edge on the conversation. "What is so unusual about that Carter?"   
"Well sir, we have seen several planets with Naquada, but only one with Trinium. And never the 2 together on the same world. In fact on the anatomical level the compounds are very similar, almost like gold and lead sir." She looked at me when she said that. "change one just slightly and you have the other But on a much more complex scale. By my calculations the chances of these 2 elements existing on the same world is slightly more than astronomical. "  
And again Jonas chimed in. "Sir' this planet is in the middle of several system lords. And they make it a practice to leave no stone unturned. That they would have left a world rich with Naquada alone is unusual, but combine that with Trinium and this would is screaming out to be mined. Let alone the possible access to Naquadria."  
  
"Thank you Jonas,' Hammond broke in again. He seemed to really want to keep whoever these visitors were from actually getting involved in the conversation. " Which is why I've asked that SG-1 be ready to go to P3J-692 as soon as they can get geared up. How long will that take Colonel O'Neill?"  
  
I wasn't even sure what we were going there to do, but the general seemed anxious to get this underway. "We will be ready to go at 0800 hours sir." I knew it was almost 0730 now. And I had just enough time to get into my BDU's and run by the mess for a cup of coffee, hopefully in that time I could get Carter to fill me in on exactly what the Hell was going on.  
  
"Very well. I'll meet you in the gate room at 0800. Dismissed" Hammond beat it out of there like a bat out of hell. Giving me what I took to be an appreciative nod as he passed me. The rest of SG-1 was fast on their heels and I was just about to follow Teal'c toward the locker rooms when Carter "bumped" into me. Knocking me to the ground. "Sir, terribly sorry" she stammered looking me straight in the eye and offering her hand to help me up. "Carter, I …" I started to reprimand her but the look in her eyes was half desperation half promise, of what I have no idea. ".. it's quite alright I'm fine" I took her hand and stood up. She gazed at me for half a moment, staring into my eyes trying to communicate something to me that I clearly could not understand. Still holding my left hand in her right she pushed her left hand into the mix and pushed something small into my palm covering the exchange by stepping into me. Her body pressing against mine and capturing the back of my hand between her breasts. "I'm just really glad that you're alright Colonel." The statement meant more than she was letting on, it was more than a cover, she really meant it.   
I was left standing there like a fool half a second later as Sam … Carter, released my hand and darted around me. I could see faces left in the briefing room full of mixed expressions. I made my way quickly to my quarters, whatever Carter had given me, she had most certainly implied that it remain a secret. 


	2. Chapter 2

Sam Carter:  
  
It had been electrifying to be that close to him. Jack . Colonel O'Neill . Watch it Sam. It was not the time to go school girl with a crush on your teacher. Even if you are pretty sure he feels the same way. I made it to the locker room and donned my gear. "Please, God, let him understand the note, and that I don't mean what I have to do." I fought back the tears. This thing was going to be too damn hard and it was damn unfair. But if Jolinar's memories regarding this world are correct, there was so much at stake and so many things to be gained. One false move and the NID would report to Kinsey and all hopes of keeping this close to the vest would be out the window. I finished clipping my belt and headed for the equipment room.  
  
Jack O'Neill:  
  
I opened Sam's note.  
  
Can't explain, no time  
All new are NID  
we have a previous "involvement".  
Be vague  
Play along   
Reject me   
Fight with me, then slap me.  
Trust Me Please, Trust Hammond.  
1984  
I lo…  
The rest of the note was smeared by a tear stain. My only response could be " What the HELL!!! Damn it Carter, … Then the reference to 1984 made the cross reference in my brain, the quick way of saying that big brother is watching and that saying anything that may give the situation away would be basically stupid. 'Ok Carter, ' I thought to myself. ' I have no idea what this is about but I'll play it your way. I trust you and I lo… you too. But what in the world could have you this scared. ' I checked my watch, I didn't have time for thinking or reactions, which seemed to be the theme for this morning and probably a tactic as well after all it was only 0950 in DC. Political types couldn't very well interfere while they were still fooling around with their interns. My brain was starting to hurt from thinking. I pushed the "Trust Carter" thought back to the front of my mind, pulled on the rest of my gear and headed to the gate room.  
  
  
Halfway there the General fell into step beside me  
  
" Colonel, I spoke with Major Carter and I have made the appropriate arrangements for you two to continue working at the SGC. I trust that she communicated with you and that you understand the situation," distinctly meaningful pause. " as it has been is unacceptable and that I had to pull quite a few strings and call in a few favors in order to keep the two of you from being court-martialed . "   
  
"I understand sir," responding to the comments before the pause.   
  
" Just keep things professional here and off world and we won't have a problem, is that understood colonel?"  
"Yes sir."  
  
He broke off and climbed the stairs to the control room leaving me to get into my gear. I stepped into the gate room a few minutes later, I was the last one to arrive. The rest of SG-1 was there and ready to go, but so were 4 of the 5 'visitors' from the briefing,   
I walked up to Carter, who gave me a way too obvious playful smile, too bad her eyes gave away how nervous she really was. Something only I or maybe Teal'c would notice. Jonas just hadn't been around enough… I wished for some way to talk to Sam about this, but things were just getting more complex and I had to do what she asked of me.  
  
"Colonel," the General said from the control room. " Major Conway and Captain Mallory will be joining you on SG-1. You didn't get a chance to meet them at the briefing, so get aquatinted now. Captain Carter will be heading up SG-19 on this mission with Teal'c, Airman Nichols and Captain Brower."  
  
"General are you sure this many people is necessary, there doesn't seem to be any threat and it seems like a simple "science' mission."  
  
"Colonel." He stated in his firm 'don't challenge me on this' voice.  
  
"Yea, sir" I saluted for effect. " I got the sense that The General and I were not supposed to be on the best of terms right now.  
  
The gate roared to life and I caught Hammond's last look at me, full of concern, hope, and maybe just a little fear. "You have a go."  
  
We turned and stepped through the StarGate, Big Mistake. 


	3. Chapter 3

I knew it was a mistake about 30 seconds after we stepped through the Stargate. I felt an electric surge go through my entire body as soon as her fingers touched the back of my neck. I tingled everywhere as her nails trace a delicate trail up through my hair. As her lips gently caressed the soft skin below my right earlobe and placed an all to intimate kiss there, I had to fight off the part of me that wanted to pull her to the ground and claim her body in the name of all things sacred right there in front of the Stargate and the other 6 members of our expedition.   
  
"The game is afoot, colonel" Her almost silent whisper and her tongue tracing its way up my ear as her hand snaked it's way around my chest were really the only things that kept me from getting lost in my dream come true. If I didn't act now I would blow the whole thing, whatever it was…. At least now I knew what she meant by "Reject me" No this was a mistake, there was no way I could fight with her over a situation that had never happened, let alone hit her ' fight with me then slap me' What the hell was she thinking. I wanted to caress every inch of her body, taste her, move her to great heights of passion. But I knew I had to do this and do it now before I list my courage and my restraint. I filled my mind with Baal, torture, any negative image I could conjure and I forced that into the image in my mind of the woman making me want to sit up and beg for more.  
  
I grabbed her hand and put just enough force short of actually hurting her into pushing her away. "What the HELL are you doing Carter?!!"  
  
Sam Carter:  
  
I had begun to wonder how far he was going to let me go before he stopped me. I just hadn't expected him to be so forceful about it. His eyes were fixed on me so tightly I could feel his emotions in the gaze, there was longing there, and desire, but I was surprised at the anger it was palpable. ' God Jack I'm sorry.'   
  
"Aw, What's the matter Jack? Can't handle a little teasing?" I said it as playfully and with as much spirit as I could muster, my heart breaking a little more with every word. 'I can't believe that I'm doing this'. "No more CO / 2IC regulations holding us back, no more secrets, no more lies. I thought you would be happy." I tried to step back into his embrace but he was playing his role just as well as I hoped I was.  
  
"You thought wrong Carter, " He pushed me away, Hard. " You just couldn't leave well enough alone, you got me into your bed with lies and manipulation, but you got me there. And I was ok with that, after all you do have a good body and Colorado nights can get cold. But get this through your head Carter. It stopped being about you a long time ago. You just have to have the attention don't you Carter. Little miss genius scientist. Uber Femmanist. You Just HAD to go and tell Hammond about us. After all we went through to keep it a secret, from Daniel , from Teal's from Jonas and everyone else that might even suspect. DAMN IT SAM. Do you have ANY idea what you've done to me?"  
  
"Done TO you??? Done for you is more like it, I'm just trying to help you LIVE Jack, instead of being closed off and depressed all the time. Depressed about Daniel, Depressed about Kannan and Baal, Hell you still even get depressed about Kowalski, and Sarah and even Charlie. " I knew that was going to far but I couldn't stop now. " Sure you came to my bed with your body, but never with what I wanted from you Jack, never with what I wanted to share with you, never with your heart. If you think that being free to explore your feelings is too much of a burden well …I will not say that I am sorry. .. I should have left you on Eudora with your little whore."  
  
"You bitch, you leave my family out of this. You don't know anything about what I want, or who I am and why should I have ever given you more of me when you were going to run off and get it on with every 2 bit alien to step through the Stargate."  
  
"How Dare you!"  
  
"Narim, Martouf, that Ascended guy, even that Aschen ambassador."  
  
"Joe was not an alien"  
  
"You're just proving my point Carter, just put up a sign, Galactic Sex Kitten Available by request."  
  
I slapped him, it wasn't part of the plan, but that last comment had really hurt. "You have no right!"  
  
"Right!? RIGHT?! Carter I have all the rights I want, considering that you have just taken my entire life and flushed it down the proverbial Crapper." He paused a moment, I said nothing "You know what Carter, you want more of me …? Here!!"  
  
Jack O'Neill:  
  
This conversation had officially become my worst nightmare and it still had to get worse, but maybe I could do something to let Sam know that all this crap I was spouting wasn't real, I just hope that was mutual.   
  
"Here!!" I shouted and grabbed her, pinning her arms behind her and bringing my mouth down on hers. 'God Sam I am so.. so.. so sorry. I love you, I need you, I want you, forgive me.' Were my thoughts that I tried to convey through the most brutal and cruel kiss I had ever given this woman, I just hoped with all of my being that she sensed the passion and need behind it.  
  
Sam: This was not Jack, this was some profound bastard that had momentarily stolen his face , his hands, the body I was pressed against, the arms that enfolded me. The lips and teeth that tore at my own, his tongue that demanded entrance. 'Not how I imagined our first kiss' Jack was in there though, she knew, the Real Jack. He ended the kiss and dropped me back on my feet. I felt dirty, but not as though I had been violated, no, it was as though I had betrayed everyone and everything that I ever loved or had ever loved me. I wanted to be sick.  
  
Jack:  
  
After I released her I knew it was over, she looked broken, and I felt like a total bastard. She would not meet my eyes, I just killed my best friend. But to top it off I still had one more thing I had to do, God I wish I knew why. 'Sam, please forgive me'  
  
"Oh and Carter, you can have this back." Now while she's still in shock, maybe she wont feel it as much I told myself as I let my hand fly toward her left cheek. I contacted with a resounding slap, and watched Carter fall to the ground.  
  
It was less than half a second later that I heard Teal'c's Staff weapon ready.   
  
"Step away from Major Carter please O'Neill." The Jafaa said stoically. " I would prefer not to have to kill you/."  
  
"Um Colonel, I don't …"  
  
"Shut up Jonas" I yelled, staring at Teal'c as I took careful steps away from Carter, Nichols was already helping her up. Her cheek was bright red, and my hand really hurt.  
  
"Stand down Teal'c" She said staring at me blankly and rubbing her jaw.   
  
"Major you take your team and move west", I searched her face to see if that was the right decision. She nodded, and bobbed her head in a manner which I took to mean I should go south. " I'll take my team south, check in every 2 hours, we'll meet back here in 20." I broke eye contact after he gave me an approving nod and a cautionary glance. "SG-1 Move out."  
  
'What the Hell are we doing?!' 


	4. Chapter 4

Jack:  
I didn't want to leave her, but apparently we had put on a good show. Jonas looked at me like I had killed his best friend. Teal'c was ready to shoot me and I'm sure that he would have if I even took the slightest move toward Sam again.  
  
We had been moving south for about 10 minutes when we came across a series of stone structures. Ruins by the look of them. Daniel would have been in heaven here, I walked up to the nearest wall and pushed at one of the stones, I don't know why, something just seemed …odd about it.But it moved beneath my touch and the energy beam caught me blind.  
  
Sam:  
  
I had to admit that I was nervous . Did Jack understand 'when did he become Jack to you Sam'. Was there going to be any way out of this hole they had dug for themselves.   
  
  
At least Conway, Mallory, Nichols and Brower would have a hard time figuring out what was going on, and hopefully they would try and 'persuade' either me or Jack over to their side soon, . The sooner the better as far as I was concerned, I didn't know how long I could keep up the 'damsel in distress, what'll I do without the man I love' routine. I just hoped that they were buying it. The president hadn't told Hammond and Hammond hadn't told me anything about what the NID agents wanted, just that they were coming that morning in airforce uniforms with orders to be assigned to SG1. I just hope this works to keep them from getting to close to the truth and I hope that we can make this world seem boring enough so that their interest would be focused elsewhere. If what Jolinar remembers about this world is true then there is a lot to be gained, keeping the NID distracted by the drama of our 'relationship' was going to be vital. 'Jack, be patient." SG-19 continued west along what appeared to be a game trail. We had been going along the northern rim of a forest from the time we left the StarGate. Just ahead the tree line turned north and the stone steps leading up a steep slope lay just beyond and disappeared into the low canopy. Two stone pillars stood on either side of the steps, covered in some kind of writing.   
  
"This looks familiar" Teal'c chimed in tentatively. " Should we not contact Jonas Quinn to attempt to translate the writing?"  
"It says!" Interrupted Brower giving Major Carter and Teal'c a 'why me' look. "Enter all ye who are pure, be not conflicted, bring ye no contention through my doors. Let anger be soothed, let fear be comforted, be at peace. So say I, so let be, that our souls may be lifted and our demons may be purged. Welcome ye seekers to the Temple of Lo'da"  
  
"And exactly how do you know that Captain?" Carter questioned.   
  
"You're not the only officer with a PhD Major, I suggest we take a look."   
  
"I SUGGEST, that we call the Colonel, and meet up before going into any temples with such ambiguous greetings on the door." Unfortunately Brower was already headed up the staircase.  
  
"Sounds like you need your boyfriend to come bail you out of an uncomfortable situation, Major. Can't handle command for even an hour on your own.?" By the end of his statement he had disappeared above the low canopy.   
  
"Captain Brower!! I do not take insubordination lightly, get back down here now!"   
There was no response, "Captain Brower !?" What choice was there other than to follow him up and bring him back down, she hated to let arrogant jerks like him win.  
  
She put her foot on the first step before something from her memories said that this was a VERY BAD IDEA …"Teal'c!"  
  
Teal'c:  
  
I was unable to do anything except watch as the green lights danced across Major Carter at the foot of the stairs, as she disappeared I was once again able to move. I looked over at Airman Nichols who seemed somewhat amazed at the situation. "Airman Nichols, please contact Colonel O'Neill and inform him of our current position and situation, then remain here until he arrives. I am going to attempt to follow Major Carter and Captain Brower."  
  
" Uh, I think I should go with you. " It was almost more of a question than a statement.  
  
"I do not believe that would be wise Airman Nichols. Please do as I have said." I did not give him another opportunity to disagree with me, as I too disappeared from his view as I stepped between the stone pillars.  
  
*************************************************  
  
Airman Nichols stared after Teal'c or at least the space where Teal'c had been, he was kind of glad to be rid of the both of them .. Teal'c was pretty much an oversized lackey, basically the dumb soldier type. And Carter, how she ever got to be a major He would never even try to guess. Messing around with her CO, 'I guess the blond isn't just in her hair color.' At least now he could check out what was around here without worrying about their self righteous drivel about leaving worlds alone. No O'Neill was the only one he had to worry about and from the sound of it things wouldn't be to difficult once they were back on earth and the Colonel was dealing with the fallout from a board of inquiry concerning his relationship with one Major Samantha Carter. Nichols was still laughing to himself when Brower came down the stairs again.   
  
"Captain?"   
"Airman. Where are Major Carter and Teal'c?"  
  
"They both disappeared when they tried to enter the temple sir, Carter tried to go after you, and Teal'c went after her after he told me to contact Colonel O'Neill."  
  
" Oh Great, we come all this way to keep a closer eye on SG-1 and we loose them before the day is out!!" He turned his back on Nichols. "Mallory, Major Conway. Come in please. We have lost Beauty and the Beast, repeat we have lost Beauty and the Beast. They just disappeared."  
  
  
Mallory, moved away from where Major Conway stood with Jonas Quinn. "I read you Brower. Ahab disappeared too, Pinocchio is still here though. And he is a scared little puppy, we found some ruins and Ahab decided to play with some rocks. "  
  
" Well We found a temple, and I thought Id try to play with some rocks, but I didn't find anything the temple was empty, apparently Beauty tried to follow me and got all glowy, and the Beast went after her."  
  
"I'll brief Conway and we'll check in with you shortly, Mallory out"  
  
Brower turned back to Nichols. "I guess we wait here." 


	5. Chapter 5

"Teal'c!" Major Samantha Carter called from the top of the stairs.   
"I am here Major Carter."   
"I seem to have lost Brower, although I don't know where he could have gone and I didn't see him come back out did you?"  
"Indeed I did not."  
"Well, he must be someplace inside, It doesn't look dangerous but we should stay together. Get Nichols and come up."  
"I do not believe that retrieving Airman Nichols will be possible. Nor do I believe that we will find Captain Brower either."   
"I don't understand Teal'c, did something happen?"  
"Did you not experience a strange sensation when passing the pillars."  
"Um, yeah kind of a tingling sensation."  
"As did I, I followed you through the pillars shortly after you disappeared."  
"Disappeared?!"  
"Yes, However Captain Brower could be seen after he passed through the pillars. "  
"So somehow we both … uh … became invisible… and he didn't?"  
"It would seem so, however, I do not believe we are invisible, If we were and we are still able to see the area around us, would we not also still be able to see the others as well? I turned to look back at Airman Nichols after I stepped through the pillars and he was not there."  
Carter reached over to her radio. "Colonel O'Neill, this is Carter come in . . . sir can you hear me?"   
  
  
Colonel Jack O'Neill woke to 2 sounds, well 2 voices really and one of them was definitely Carter.   
"Carter?   
…"Sir can you hear me?"  
'on the radio' his brain told him after a second.  
"Oh so you've woken up" the second and strange voice said, "Good, good, now I can ask my questions. Now what is a radio?" O'Neill's mind flashed through images and concepts of radio as he was trying to asses his situation and decide whether to respond to this aliens question, the thought of name rank and serial number came to mind but ever since the torture he had endured at the hand of Ba'al more torture was just something he didn't think he should have to deal with. 'Black Ops Training taught me to deal with torture until it killed me, not until it killed me over and over and over and over again, while distorting my mind at the same time.'  
" I see and what are Black Ops and who is this Ba'al person you think of in such a negative manner."  
Jacks mind automatically raced trough memories of each of the things she had asked about.  
"Indeed that is fascinating, so what should I call you, Colonel Oneill? Ahab?"  
"Ahab?!"  
"Yes that is what two of your companions are calling you. They refer also to Pinocchio, Beauty and The Beast. I take it that the one you think of as Jonas Quinn is Pinocchio but Beauty and the beast?"  
'Well at least they got the codename for Sam right, She is a Beauty, and Teal'c fit the Beast description.'  
"Ah, but you are Jealous of the title being given to him rather than yourself because of the traditional pairing of the 2 in your culture, you do have some very amusing images coming from your mind, your Disney animations do seem highly entertaining."  
'Sarah and I took Charlie to see that when it first came out.' his mind continued the story with images of Charlie's death and funeral. The loss of Sarah… their divorce. That had been the most painful thing in his life before the Stargate was introduced into his life. Since then he'd died many times. Still… Sarah bothered him at times, though he'd put her behind him. That loss had left a hole… one that he hoped Car-  
  
He stopped himself from forming that thought when the woman started speaking again.  
"Oh! You poor man… I'm sorry for your loss. This Sarah… and your son."  
Jack started in surprise, and then he frowned. 'I can't think of a single thing without her knowing about it! What's going on?'  
"What's going on, Jack? Oh, you don't mind if I call you Jack, do you? Ooh, is that your Sam calling?"  
Jack focused on the sound coming from the radio.  
"… Colonel, it's Sam. Do you read me?"  
Jack focused his mind on thoughts of Sam and reached for the radio.  
"Yes, Carter. I read you."  
"Sir, we're about five clicks west of the Gate at what appears to be a Temple. We've lost Nichols and Brower. Teal'c said we were hit by some shimmery green light and apparently disappeared from their view."  
"Oh my," Hi'ka volunteered. "Lo'da is so serious when it comes to having visitors. But green would mean Goa'ould. Your friends aren't Goa'ould, are they?"  
Jacks mind flashed to images of Teal'c's symbiote, and the incident with Sam and Jolinar.  
"Well, then. That might be a problem," Hi'ka said, "No choice now, they've already been infected. They'll have to go into the Temple and talk to Lo'da."  
"Infected? By what?" Jack asked, a little strength coming back into his voice.  
"Oh, by the virus that Lo'da created to kill Goa'ould. He might save your friend, but the only instance I know of him doing that was in a Tok'ra a couple hundred years ago."  
"Wait… are you saying that this virus is going to kill them?"  
"Oh, no! Of course not! Lo'da would never kill a person. The virus only kills the symbiote, leaving the host with what you would call the flu. But your friend Teal'c is a Jafaa, and without his symbiote even that is deadly."  
Jack sat in silence for a second, soaking in the information, when the radio crackled back to life.  
"Sir, are you there?" Jack grabbed the radio.  
"Carter, I'm in a room somewhere with some lady alien who's doing a... uh... pretty good Madame Zorba impression."  
"Um… sir, it should only take us a few minutes to triangulate your position… then we can come and get you."  
"That's a negative, Major. You need to get both you and Teal'c inside that temple on the double and find this Lo'da guy. Apparently he's infected both of you with some virus that kills Goa'ould symbiotes."  
  
Jonas Quinn had spent the last thirty minutes since the Colonel had disappeared between examining stone walls and talking to Major Conway. He couldn't figure out what had caused the Colonel to disappear, but with the questions from Conway getting increasingly specific as to the relationship between the Colonel and the Major, and previous SG-1 missions. He found himself making up stories just to tell him what he wanted to hear in hopes of stopping the questions so he could focus on what he really wanted… to find the Colonel. Mallory had apparently gone off to gather some more soil samples from a wider area around the Stargate. Jonas had his doubts... He'd tried contacting Major Carter or Teal'c, but had gotten a reply from Captain Brower that they were indisposed and could not currently come to the radio. After the third try, he'd stopped calling. If these guys didn't have an ulterior motive, he'd eat his hat. 


	6. Chapter 6

Brower:  
  
"It's never that easy, especially where SG-1 is concerned." Brower said, incredulous that Nichols could be so naïve, and was starting to get on Brower's nerves. Nichols had spent the last hour talking about what could have possibly happened to the missing members of SG-1 and had concluded that they had probably run into whatever it was that killed the Goa'ould and were now dead.   
  
"I'll bet anything that they are still alive and are a darn site closer to finding something than we are,." volunteered Brower.  
  
"How do you figure that sir?"  
  
"SG-1 has a way of stumbling into every conceivable bad situation, and then finding a way of escaping from it, every time," explained Brower to the puzzled Nichols.  
  
In an attempt to defend his theory Nichols retorted, "From what I can tell, Carter is probably the dumbest blond I have ever seen. O'Neill is stupid for keeping her just to keep screwing her. As for Teal'c, Jonas, what a waste of time; putting aliens-" He was cut short as Brower grabbed his jacket and nearly threw him to the ground.  
"STOP! Nichols you really have NO CLUE DO YOU?!" exclaimed Brower.  
  
Nichols starred at him with alternating between confusion and fear. Brower pushed him away lightly and continued speaking.  
  
"Major Carter, is one of the most intelligent women in the airforce, she is an incredible soldier and an amazing scientist, her profile says it all." He shot Nichols a daring glance.'I just can't believe she'd do something as stupid as sleep with her CO. It is not like her.' Brower mused to himself, clearly at a loss to explain Carter's unusual behavior. "How does that fit into your theory Nichols?"  
  
"I didn't read her profile sir. "  
"Damn it Nichols, . . . did you read any of them?"  
"No."  
"Or the mission reports"  
" . . . No sir."  
Brower took a moment to calm down from wanting to kill the 'snot nosed little punk' standing in front of him. He was reconsidering taking some physical action against him, whatever the cost back on Earth.  
"Nichols, you are the biggest waste of manpower it has ever been my misfortune to be assigned with. You are to go back to the Stargate and sit there. You will do NOTHING else. Understand me Nichols?"  
  
"Yes, sir," answered Nichols before turning tail and running. Brower watched him go with a sigh. It was stupid to underestimate any member of SG-1, and even dumber to assume that they were dead unless you had the body in your hands. Even then you had better make sure it was the right one. At that moment, the Captain would have liked nothing more than to tell Kinsey that the major thorn in his side was out of commission. 'I'd loved reading that the secondary objective of out mission was to nullify SG-1 by any means possible. But now thanks to Carter's 'indiscretion' that would not be an issue.' Brower thought, reflecting on the events of what seemed like days ago already. This was turning into a long trip. 'If I hadn't seen that scene between them I never would have believed it.' That kiss… that had been the convincing factor for the Captain. Before that it had seemed like just a staged argument, but people didn't kiss like that unless they had some serious emotions behind it.  
  
"Senator Kinsey." Brower said to himself. "You will be happy to know that I can confirm the rumors of a relationship between the 2 ranking officers of SG-1."  
  
From the look that he'd given her he was really angry that she had told Hammond but it also had a deeper look behind it, he still loves her and will most likely forgive her.   
  
"Don't you worry your pretty little head Sammy; Big Daddy Jack will certainly have you moaning like a cat in heat the minute he calms down," murmured Brower to himself. He couldn't help but laugh to himself. 'Well, back to work. I'm certain that the pillars hold the key to whatever made Carter and Teal'c disappear, so I'll just start there. Gotta love plasma torches.'  
  
  
Conway:  
  
I had been teasing Pinocchio for the last hour, but he had clammed up after about 45 minutes after his third and final attempt at contacting Carter. So I left him alone with his wall tinkering to go see what nformation Mallory had brought back.  
  
"Mallory."  
  
"Major, you won't believe what I've found."  
I motioned Mallory a little farther away from where Quinn was crouching and looking fascinated by the surface of the stone.  
"Tell me. "  
"Well, there do seem to be traces of Naquadria in the soil, but check this out. Sir… this is the highest concentration of Naquada that has ever been reported, by anyone. I don't understand it. It's all in one location, like it was all taken out of the soil and put into some sort of repository. There is a building surrounding it, I looked but I couldn't find a way in."  
  
"Kinda like the Fort Knox of Naquadria," ventured Conway.  
  
"Yes sir, but look at these energy readings, this whole planet has a low-level energy field practically wrapped around it sir. The readings are highest at the building."  
  
"Which means that that is the power source."   
  
"That was my guess," answered Mallory.  
  
I considered the possibilities, a Naquadria based power source. From the mineral reports that kind of power source would last for centuries, if not millennia. The trouble was getting at it. Well if Mallory couldn't, maybe Pinocchio could.  
  
"Jonas we may have a clue to finding the Colonel, get your things… it's a long walk."  
  
" But I think I may be on to something here, these rock grouping would seem at first to be walls but with closer inspection--" started Jonas.  
  
"Zip it, Mr. Quinn, " ordered Conway.  
  
"But Major ."  
  
"I understand how you feel Jonas but I think we'll have a better chance of finding Colonel O'Neill if we check out what Mallory has found." He opened his mouth as if to say something, gave a questioning look and then gratefully turned toward his pack. I was not in the mood for an SG-1's 'Never leave a man behind' crap right now.  
  
"Okay, let's move out."  
  
Jonas:  
  
This is what Jack would lovingly refer to as BULL SHIT!! I was just beginning to make real headway on what had caused Jack to disappear and this JERK thinks his precious soil samples are more important. This would never happen with Carter and Teal'c. Carter wouldn't stop until she found him. 'How could they have hidden a relationship from me?' he mused. Teal'c would have torn this place apart looking for O'Neill. But then he had threatened him with his staff weapon when he had slapped Carter. Why would he slap her like that… or kiss her like that if they didn't have a thing for each other?. But no, I would have noticed if they had, there would have been looks…  
'there were looks,'   
and glances…  
'there were glances'  
and 'accidental' touches…  
'I could name a few.'   
But the wall here was built to conceal sensors and equipment of some kind.   
' Jack was checking her out in the briefing last week.'   
All he'd been able to find was the access ports and those strange round rings.   
'I wonder if they ever did it on base?'   
Which from the looks of it is made, with Naquadria.   
' I wonder what Sam looks like naked.'   
I shook my head, wondering where the random thoughts had come from, glad that I was used to having two streams of thought going at once. I hurried to catch up to Conway and Mallory.  
  
****  
Meanwhile in a nearby lab, Hi'ka was cursing to herself about a certain 'Pinocchio' not being very susceptible to telepathic suggestion. 


	7. Chapter 7

Jack:  
I took another slow breath before I opened my eyes. She was still standing at the machine with her head against the view screen. The thoughts that had been jumping into my head were not ones I dealt well with. I fought to calm down, to get both my thoughts and my hormones under control. 'Touching Sam, Kissing Sam, Undressing Sam with my eyes, that briefing last week where her T-shirt had been just a little tighter than usual. Sex on Base? Sam Naked!? I can imagine it, I've studied every inch of her body, from the swell of her breast to the curve of her thigh, her toned and well muscled but oh so female legs…arms .. rear end to soft blond curly ….'  
STOP THINKING THAT!!  
"ow", I held my head at the pain.  
I may lose my position because of your friends curiosity, and all you can think about is your woman's body.  
"You started it!" I accused, guessing that those initial mental suggestions had come from her. My mind tends to wander to Sam, but not that much.  
Hi'ka paused for a moment, looking thoughtfully at me, seeming to consider accusation. A set of worry lines creased her forehead. Her playful and non-threatening curiosity replaced by a somewhat worrying, cunning manipulator.  
I didn't realize I was broadcasting to you as well.  
"Well please try to be more careful next time."  
She turned back to her control panel and view screen, turning knobs and pushing buttons. Following Jonas and the rest of "the new" SG-1.  
"Wait, broadcasting to me as well? Who else were you broadcasting thoughts of a naked Carter to?"  
She glared at me. I don't have time for this, your friends have discovered the core, if they endanger it in any way our entire world . . I swear I could feel her probing my mind for a term that fit her concept. Retu ?? . . . back to that later. her eyes were practically boring into my head and it was starting to hurt. They are NID, and that is .. not good. Why are they here? Technology, amoral, touchstone, dangerous. The core is in danger!.   
She turned back to the console and hit a large green button. My head was pulled unceremoniously back down onto the hard table I was still on and as the familiar warm feeling spread through my body bringing with it a very annoying and ill-timed nap. All I could think to say was. "Oh peachy."  
  
**********  
  
Sam:  
We crested the top of the stairs and I once again saw the ornate carving adorning the walls of the small room. At the far end an intricately crafted doorway opened into a large room with a vaulted ceiling and stone pillars. Flaming torches lined the walls at even intervals. I was urged forward by something, probably the memories that Jolinar held of this place. I stepped through the doorway and knew instantly that I should not have.   
'Should not have come here, should not have sought the master. Flee this place.'  
The memories from my once Symbiote flooded my mind, and in the seconds it took for my thoughts to clear, I was too late to keep Teal'c from passing through the doorway behind me. By the time I turned, the doorway was gone and the face of Lo'da stared angrily back at me.  
  
You should not have returned here Jolinar of Malkshor. I warned you, there will be no regard for your Tok'ra philosophies, I will show no mercy save making your death swift. He raised his hand and the flash of light came quickly, numbing my thought and senses and plunging me into memories..  
  
I could practically feel the study of each emotion related to the memories of my life. The happier moments would pause and be heightened. Birthday's, Christmas, Family moments throughout my childhood. Until it stopped on one particular day when my father came home and told me that my mother had died in a car accident, I remember that day, it was one of the most painful days of my life. But it was being presented to me completely bare of all emotion. In complete contrast to the rest of this "Show". Then all at once the day started over. Mom in the kitchen cooking breakfast that morning, everything continued normally, except that right before I left for school, I said that I had reconsidered taking ballet and asked if she could pick up some shoes for me while she was out. When I returned home, she was there, alive and bubbling about how much I would love Ballet.   
  
The fast forward resumed and although the scenes that followed seemed familiar the inserted presence of my mother did not. If anything, it hurt. The scene slowed again and again throughout my young life showing me how I was responsible for all the horrible things that happened in my life; from the conflict between my father and my brother, to loosing Jonas. But then it got worse.  
  
Teal'c:  
  
I followed Samantha Carter through the entry corridor of the Temple of Lo'da. Only when I felt my symbiote struggling did I know that entering this place was unwise, I had time enough only to see Major Carter turn toward me in concern then look past me as fear and confusion flooded her features before I was struggling for consciousness. My thoughts left me and I was given view of my life from it's beginning up to the present. Several times it focused on specific parts of my life. The Death of my father at the hand of Chronus, my marriage to Drey'ac and the birth of Ry'ac and my act of turning against Apophis. These, along with countless other memories was played out in great detail. However, the pleasant memories were too pleasant the emotion practically overwhelming the event. And the moment of sorrow or regret played inaccurately showing me overcoming each adversity or preventing it altogether. I did not understand the purpose of this exercise and found it altogether disconcerting. As the visions approached the present time, I placed myself into a state of Kel'no'reem so that I could concentrate on the status of my symbiote, who was apparently in distress.  
  
  
Jack:  
  
I sensed it coming from somewhere. A need for something, a sob, a cry . . . she's crying . . . Sam is crying?! Why?! SAM!! I wanted to find her, to go to her, to comfort her. But I can't move. "Aaagh! Sam!!"  
She is in pain, hurting so deep. "Oh, God, SAM!!! I'm here!"  
Jack?!  
I see her then, beside me in the locker room at the SGC, she was wearing the tank top that I remember and things played out pretty much as I remember. Except when we got to the part about me saying "Not like this.", instead of taking her to the infirmary, I showed her EXACTLY how I did want her."  
  
  
  
  
  
I got lost in the images that flooded into my mind. Over and over again different scenes of Carter and I the way things might have? Could have? Or should have been?  
  
  
Sam:  
  
It was too much. My mothers death I could deal with, I had always placed some blame on myself, knowing that I could have said or done something different to change her fate. But it had never occurred to me that it was because of who I was that she had died. Because I wasn't the ballerina daughter she always wanted, that was why she died. The rift between Dad and Mark being my fault, I was the son that Mark didn't want to be. And because of that Dad didn't need to fix things didn't need Mark's love or understanding, because he had mine. If I had only been a different person.  
  
It got worse when the things changing were me in the military, the worst being situations between Jack and I. I got to see every opportunity to be happy that I had sabotaged, every possibility to have the life that I wanted destroyed because of who I was, who I am. 'Jack, I'm so sorry.' I could feel death coming and I welcomed it, better to rid the world of me rather than allow me to continue destroying the lives of those around me. And denying Jack every chance he had at happiness. 'Please just let me die now.'  
  
  
Jack:  
Please just let me die now. I heard her voice speak those words, but I couldn't believe them. Not my Sam, not after all the things we had just been through together. Making love in the base showers. Figuring out where her mole is. But I could feel her slipping away from me. "Sam, NO!" I loved you Jack. Then I couldn't feel her anymore, she was gone. "SAM!!! NO!!!" I needed to get to her. NOW! 


	8. Chapter 8

Brower:  
  
I found Major Carter unconscious on the floor of the temple, or at least I couldn't wake her up. She kept on calling for Jack and saying 'Just let me die'. A pity really that such a scientific mind should belong to someone who was being so pathetic.   
"I really thought better than this of you Major. I can't believe you are ready to die over O'Neill rejecting you." I said to her even though she couldn't hear me.  
  
I busied my self with looking around, the room again, she had to have come from somewhere and my 'excavation' of the pillars had proved fruitless, the only thing I found were hollow areas inside of them.  
  
While searching I let my mind wander to my conversation with Kinsey the night before.  
  
*****  
"Captain Brower I presume?"  
"You presume correctly Senator."  
"So is this the right world?"  
"We have every reason to believe it is"  
"…"  
"The Gate Address matches the one given to us by the Goa'ould inhabiting Adrian Conrad."  
" And that world is supposed to hold the secret to destroying the Goa'ould?"  
"As well as an abundance of Naquada, yes sir."  
"Well it looks like we have a job to do. How are you planning to proceed?"  
"SG-1 has been assigned to the recon, a few well placed phone calls including one from you to the president, and my team should be in like Flynn."  
"Quaint, so who will be joining you?"  
"Major Conway and Captain Mallory and a new guy named Nichols."  
"Mallory are you sure that's wise."  
"I doubt any of them will recognize him, besides he and Conway will be necessary if we have to eliminate SG-1. Hope you don't mind."  
"No, no, of course not. SG-1 has been a thorn in my side for too long, it would be nice to not have them interfering with my agenda any longer. Feel free to eliminate them, . . . one way or another. "  
  
*****  
  
"One way . . . or another." I muse to myself fingering my Zat. It would be so easy to fire three times and give her what she was asking for. No muss, no fuss, but a lot of questions and paperwork. Somehow leaving their teams demise to a reckless affair between a CO and his 2IC seems SO much more . . . poetic.  
  
SAM:  
  
Soon, the voice said. You will be free.  
The images passing before my eyes were approaching the present and for some reason I was back in my office this morning just before . . .  
  
*****  
General Hammond stepped into my office about 30 seconds after I arrived.  
  
"Major, I need to see you in my office. Immediately."  
  
"Yes, sir." I said, and followed his lead.  
  
"Close the door, Major… and have a seat." General Hammond said. I closed the door as he ordered, and sat down opposite of him at his desk.  
  
"What is it, General?"  
  
"Sam… we have a situation regarding SG-1 that needs to be dealt with immediately, and unfortunately we don't have time to wait for Colonel O'Neill to arrive."  
  
"What kind of situation, sir?"  
  
"The four personnel files we waiting for me when I arrived this morning," He slid the files over to me, "Along with orders to assign them directly to SG-1."  
  
"Sir, I recognize this one." I said, seeing the name of a man… Captain Mallory. "He was one of the NID agents who stole the touchstone."  
  
"I was afraid of something like that, Major… which is exactly why I just got off the phone with the President, and he was on the phone late last night with Senator Kinsey. It seems he is very interested in the world SG-1 is assigned to go to this morning. P3X-455."  
  
"Not a world I'm familiar with, sir." I said, and the General slid another folder across the table to me.  
  
"The dialing computer stumbled on it yesterday, and sent a probe through last night. Reports came in; no signs of an indigenous population, so I'm curious just why the NID would be so interested in a planet like-" I broke in…  
  
"Sir… I know this world."  
  
"Major, didn't you just say-"  
  
"No sir… I mean, I recognize the gate address."  
  
"I don't understand, Major…"  
  
"Jolinar, sir. She's been to this world, and if I'm clear on her memories, allowing the NID access to this world would be a very bad thing. Sir, we cannot allow them to go on this world."  
  
"I'm afraid my hands are tied, Major. I have orders from the President to see that this mission goes as scheduled."  
  
"Sir, there's got to be something we can do!"  
  
"What do you suggest, Major? We've got about ten minutes before we are supposed to start the briefing for this mission, four members of the NID who, in the past, have been a major threat to this project… not to mention kidnapping you, along with numerous thwarted attempts at breaking up my best team… and now you tell me that there's another potential danger."  
  
My brain was racing with ideas, trying to come up with some scenario that wouldn't leave us vulnerable to whatever the NID had in mind, but also left us open to completing our mission effectively.  
  
"Divide SG-1…" I said, before the thought had fully formed in my mind. General Hammond looked at me as if I'd grown a second head.  
  
"What would that accomplish, Major?"  
  
I considered my statement for a moment.  
  
"Divide and conquer, sir… If we split up SG-1, we've accomplished half their goal for them, and if we go one step further to make it seem like SG-1 can no longer be a cohesive unit, we may even get them to let their guard down enough to spoil any other plans they have." I said. I can't believe I'm saying this. I've barely thought this through! I thought to myself, but knew it was too late now.  
  
"And how do you propose we do that, Major? I can't think of one believable reason why SG-1 would suddenly break up. Even Daniel's death-"  
I broke in quickly.  
  
"The Za'tarc incident." I couldn't believe what I was suggesting. The General gave me a blank stare; apparently, he couldn't believe it either. I continued. "General, the rumor mill already has the Colonel and I having some sort of affair. I know the NID got hold of the reports that say he and I care about each other more than we are supposed to. That's enough of a basis, and if we lend credence to the rumors you could put Teal'c and I on another SG team with two of the guys from the NID. If the Colonel and I were both commanding a team, we could stage a lover's quarrel as soon as we step through the gate, just to get them off balance, and wing it from there."  
  
"I do not like this idea, Major. But unfortunately, I don't have a better one, and we are out of time to discuss it so you have a go. I don't have to remind you that none of this leaves this room, and that the walls have ears even in the SGC. Now, there is the issue of getting Colonel O'Neill to play along."  
  
"I'll take care of that part, sir."  
  
"Good, I'll meet you in the briefing room in three minutes. Oh and by the way major, I asked you to my office to tell you that you were going to be running this briefing" He said, leaving me alone. My brain hurt and I wanted to hit myself for even suggesting the course of action I now had to pursue. I grabbed a piece of paper and wrote a quick note. I folded it and held it tightly in my hand, thinking to myself: 'I know nothing but what is in the report, I do not know that they are all NID, and this has got to be the stupidest idea I've ever had.'  
*****  
  
My own selfishness, my own desires and needs. I had to drag Jack into this, not explaining anything. He didn't want me, he made that very clear with the slap. He had never wanted me. Only wanted me dead, or out of his life. "Oh God Jack I'm so sorry."  
  
I woke up crying, my tears falling to the hard marble floor beneath me. The intense overwhelming sense of guilt was gone but . . . I was supposed to be dead. " Why am I not dead?"  
  
"I'm guessing , but I think that it's because whoever took you didn't want you dead."  
  
I looked up at the man standing above me, I recognized him, from somewhere- 'Brower? Yes, Captain Brower.' His name seeped back in through the mass of images and emotion fresh in my mind.   
"But you're not Jack." I turned my face back toward the floor as the tears came even stronger. "It's all my fault."  
  
Brower:  
  
'Oh this is too good, she's having a complete breakdown. Kinzie will love it and I might be able to use it to my advantage.'  
  
"Major . . . Major?" I waited till her crying slowed to light sobs. "Major, forget him. He's not worth it. Let me help you forget." I put my arms around her and pulled her into me. "I can help you forget Major. All the pain will be gone. " Her crying quieted even more. " I'll help you forget O'Neill, if you'll help me." 


	9. Chapter 9

Jack: I want him dead. I want him here right now so I can personally squeeze the life from him and fire round after round into his pathetic lifeless body. That's what I want. Nothing more, noth- no, I want him to suffer more than that! Whatever had just happened made me feel like I'd watched and experienced some kind of twisted soap opera of Sam's life… of my life… every moment… every touch, every caress… I felt the emotions of peace… and somehow I knew that Sam felt the opposite of that. Fear, regret… a desire to die. Those things were what she was feeling at the time, though I'm not sure how I knew that. I didn't know why whatever did this made me want to feel happy at the fact that Sam was suffering, but there was one thing I did know. Brower was going to die somehow.  
  
"Oh, interesting! I've never known it to work that way before!" Hi'ka said, and I glanced over at her.  
  
"What are you talking about?" I asked, stepping closer  
  
"The virus that Lo'da uses on the Goa'uld; normally, it feeds the pleasure sources of the host mind, focusing on regrettable events from their life, and showing them the possibilities of what could have been. It also simultaneously causes the symbiote pain and suffering, making them feel regret and guilt for what they've caused the host. This all culminates in the death of the symbiote and freedom of the host, and leaves the host with a sense of satisfaction at the death of the symbiote… though why it fed through to you rather than her symbiote, I'm not sure."  
  
"Uh… she doesn't have a symbiote… she used to-"  
  
"Well, that explains things, doesn't it? If it couldn't find a host mind, it could have theoretically treated the dominant personality as the symbiote, and gone searching for another mind to treat as the host. So, if she had any strong emotions for you, like fear, hate… love… and vice-versa, that could cause something like this. Especially if you were thinking about each other at the time… and I know you were… it could have very easily locked onto you as the host. If that's the case, she's got to be feeling just terrible about now!"  
  
I looked at her. This was a little bit too far for this Lo'da guy to go!  
  
"Ya think?" I asked, a bit annoyed at how… carefree she sounded about this whole thing. It just pissed me off! I stormed around the room for a while, pretty vocal about how I felt, and colorful with my language. "Look, thanks for everything, but I've really got to get to S-"  
  
"Oh, dear… Colonel, look here…" I glanced over her shoulder at a small device. Some sort of projector, for all I could tell. There were Sam and Brower.  
  
"I can help you forget Major. All the pain will be gone. " Her crying quieted even more. " I'll help you forget O'Neill, if you'll help me."  
  
"No way in hell!" I shouted. "You son of a-" I paused and looked at Hi'ka with a plea in my eyes, "Let me go there… help me!"  
  
"Colonel, I'll let you go, but that's all I can do. The others you brought are getting here slowly, and I must guard the generator."  
  
"Generator… where?"  
  
"All around you, Colonel." She said, sweeping her arms around her. "We're in the core. All the phase functions, everything for the entire world to stay in phase in run from here. If they get here and manage to stop the generator, our entire world would drop back into normal phase, our people would die, it would destroy this world."  
  
I pondered that for a moment. Knowing the NID they would tear the place apart brick by brick if it would mean technology for earth and damn the consequences to anyone else. Had that been what Sam was so worried about, she somehow knew about this generator, 'about the potential harm that the NID could bring to this world , of what we could find here and possibly use to benefit earth if only we could do it in the right way. Without putting these people at risk' 'that's what the note was for, why we're risking everything' 'even our own emotions.' 'To distract them, present a divided front' 'let them believe that they've won the war before the first battle begins' 'No time, couldn't think of another way … I'm sorry' 'It's okay.' Some of those thoughts weren't mine, they were Sam's, I recognized her thoughts in my mind as they surfaced. Not sure what it meant, I found it comforting none the less. Part of her was still with me.  
"If I can't get back, how can I help Sam?"  
  
"Lo'da can help you get back into your phase. You would normally revert on your own in a few days. "  
  
I decided that getting angry wouldn't do any good and it definitely wasn't going to get me to Sam any faster. "Fine with me… where can I find him?"  
  
"There." She indicated the scene in her . .projector.  
  
I have no Idea how she did it, but somehow I knew the location, the way there, the dangers of travelling there on the shortest route through the forest. 'I'm coming Sam.'  
  
I could have sworn just then that I herd her say 'hurry'. 


	10. Chapter 10

Jack:  
  
It took me too long to get there, over an hour through the Dense Forrest. The instructions that Hi'ka placed in my mind were more than useful. If I hadn't known about them I could have been killed at least three times. As I broke through the trees I saw the Temple directly ahead of me. "Sam!" I shouted not knowing whether I would find her there or not, this phase stuff is too confusing. I raced up to the temple, through the pillars and up the steps.  
  
Browder:  
  
Well I can definitely say that fantasy echos reality, especially in the case of one Major Samantha Carter. Her body was amazing, muscles were well toned, trim and slender, with just the right amount of extra in all the right places. 'At least O'Neill has good taste.' I really don't think I would have kept my hands off if she was on any team of mine. Ooh and all those long cold nights off world.  
  
'Carter .. I can give you want you want. I can give you anything you want."  
  
"Jack … I'm sorry"  
  
"I can get your jack for you, I can even give you the death you want."  
  
"Please…"  
  
"Just tell me why the goa'uld die here."  
  
"I can't . . .Let me die."  
  
"You have to give me what I want first."  
  
She still clung to me, clawing slightly at my back. We had been at this for the better part of an hour. I had been able to get very little information from her other than something to do with someone in the temple and horrible dreams. None of it made any sense.   
  
"Sammy Baby .. I'm gonna try to bring you around, I need this info sweetie. I'll lt you die as soon as you give me what I want honey. But I need you to tell me what I want to know."  
  
I ran my fingers through her hair and lowered my lips to her face, 'Damn she smells good .. I love my work'  
  
Jack:  
  
I ran up the stairs and looked to the spot where Sam should be, I felt a wave of fear and revulsion run through me, it was stronger here, I could feel her here, I could almost see where Brower was sitting and touching her.   
"BROWER YOU ARE DEAD!!!" I shouted at the image that my eyes were inventing. I felt acceptance from Sam, acceptance that this was what she deserved, that this was her fate. 'God… he was going to kill her when he got what he wanted.'.  
"Sam, No, you can't give in to him, you have to fight"  
But she was relenting, giving him what he wanted, including herself she was desperate for escape, for death.  
"NO!!!, LO'DA!!!" I raced deeper into the temple, and I saw Teal'c on the floor Shaking, I went to his side, his eyes were closed and moving furiously under the lids.  
"Teal'c. Buddy can you hear me?"  
"He cannot. .. but if you are patient he will return to you shortly, once he is rid of the goa'uld that infests him."  
"Rid of it, He's a Jaffa he can't get rid of it."  
"No, he will return to you once more as the person you always knew, no longer posessed by a Goa'uld"  
"He's not a host, he's an incubator for their young, if you kill junior he'll die!"  
Lo'da looked confused so I continued. "Jaffa carry infant Goa'uld in a pouch, they carry them to maturity and then receive a new infant." If they don't they die, they have no immune system of their own."  
  
"Oh my, I did not realize this was the case." Lo'da paused for a long moment. " I't is too late to reverse the damage to the goa'uld inside of him. But I can stay the end for a time, perhaps long enough for you to return home with him. '  
  
"Well isn't that just peachy!"  
  
Lo'da once again stared at me with a look of confusion. "I am not completely without mercy Colonel O'neill"  
  
'Oh great ' I thought 'another one probing my mind.'  
  
Lo'da continued. "I even let a Tok'ra go once, but she returned with this Jaffa, I am afraid she is dead now, quite quickly though, I did spare her the full amount of the torment. I did warn her not to return though.."  
  
"You IDIOT, Carter didn't have a tok'ra in her, she was a host to Jolinar 4 years ago, Jolinar died inside of her."  
  
"But .. but .." I monitored the progress of the torment. There was some difficulty at first but there were 2 minds there, I am sure."  
  
"the other mind was mine!!" Jack was livid, this guy had raped her mind and broken her spirit, and Brower was about to finish the Job on her spirit.  
  
"I don't see how that is possible unless the two of you have a connection I was not aware of your race having -"  
  
"WE DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS!!! Hi'ka said you could put me back into normal phase. Right now thanks to your meddling, she is out there being molested and wanting to die, now are you going to send me back or do I have to hurt you Severely!  
  
  
Bad place to stop I know but I need to study 


End file.
